A crackdown on neighbours from hell was being announced today by Home Office minister Hazel Blears.

The Government was publishing a new package of measures designed to improve the way bad parents bring up their children. Ms Blears was announcing the measures, plus initiatives targeting other forms of anti-social behaviour, on a visit to a family support project in Eccles, Salford.

Findings from a Home Office review of 100 of Britain's most difficult families show 45pc believed the government crackdown had helped to change their behaviour.

Police and councils are using warnings, Acceptable Behaviour Contracts, Anti-Social Behaviour Orders or the threat of eviction against nuisance neighbours.

Today Ms Blears was also meeting a couple who recently won a Home Office Taking a Stand Award for standing up to two families who terrorised their estate.

The minister and Louise Casey, director of the Anti-Social Behaviour Unit, were meeting workers at the NCH Salford Assisted Families Project in Eccles to look at how they provide support for problem families.

Last October, ministers launched intensive parenting support programmes to tackle the most chaotic families in ten areas.

Programmes available include family behaviour contracts and compulsory parenting classes. On-the-spot fines have also been extended to under-16s with parents liable for the penalty.

Ms Blears said: "We are announcing £1,250,000 for our 50 anti-social behaviour action areas to do some intensive work with the small number of families who create havoc for other people.

"We have been reviewing 100 families and we have found that 40pc of them say that enforcement has helped them change their behaviour, and for 30pc it was the support that got them to change their behaviour."

Ms Blears insisted the Government was achieving "significant results" in cracking down on anti-social behaviour.

"I think every community will tell you that, where you take action, you can actually get change. The fact that action is taken actually relieves the decent majority and let them get on with their lives."